If you had to pick the single most important at-bat in Monday night’s rollercoaster ride that was the Dodgers exciting 7-6 win between the NL West first place Dodgers and the NL East first place Phillies, you’d have many to choose from.

There were the back-to-back solo home runs by Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy and catcher Yasmani Grandal in the top of the first inning; there was the solo home run by Dodgers shortstop Chris Taylor in the top of the second; there was the solo home run by Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson in the top of the fourth; and, of course, there was Matt Kemp‘s clutch RBI single in the top of the ninth inning that would eventually prove the game-winner.

But there was another at-bat in the three-hour and forty-three-minute slugfest between the two division leaders which, although not technically an at-bat, was every bit as important as any of the above.

With the score tied 5-5 in the top of the ninth inning, 22-year-old Dodgers pinch-hitter Alex Verdugo, who had been called back up from Triple-A Oklahoma City earlier in the day when Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner had been placed on the 10-day disabled list for his recurring right adductor issue, drew a huge six-pitch walk to lead off the inning. A walk, of course, is not considered an at-bat but rather a plate appearance. As such, the extremely popular Tucson, Arizona native and Dodgers 2014 second-round draft pick out of Sahuaro High School in Tucson is listed as 0-for-0 in the box score.

The mere fact that Verdugo, who had arrived at Citizens Bank Park only minutes before game time, was able to control his adrenalin to take a six-pitch walk in the top of the ninth with the game on the line, speaks volumes about the young Dodgers outfielder. (Video Capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)

Verdugo’s extremely intense walk was followed by yet another huge at-bat – a sharp single to Phillies left fielder Rhys Hoskins by Joc Pederson – to put runners at first and second with no outs. Dodgers pro tem third baseman and newest Dodger Manny Machado would then strike out against Phillies right-hander Seranthony Dominguez, bringing Max Muncy to the plate.

In yet another enormous at-bat (plate appearance), Muncy – who leads the Dodgers with his (now) 54 walks – walked to load the bases and bring the best hitter on the team and the guy with a .408 batting average with runners in scoring position to the plate – Dodgers All-Star right fielder Matt Kemp.

Ironically, it wasn’t a base hit by Kemp that would score Verdugo from third base, but rather, of all things, a wild pitch by Dominguez to make it a 6-5 ballgame.

With runners still in scoring position and just as he has done all season long, Kemp indeed did hit a base hit up the middle (another huge at-bat) to score Muncy with what would prove to be the biggest insurance run of the season for the Dodgers to make it 7-5 and give Kemp his team-leading 63rd RBI of the season. Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger would then ground into a rare 3-2-5-3 double play to end the inning.

As expected, Kenley Jansen entered the game to (hopefully) seal the deal but immediately gave up a first-pitch solo home run to Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco, his second of the game, to make it a precarious one-run game. But the Dodgers All-Star closer then got Phillies shortstop Scott Kingery to pop out to Muncy at first base and struck out pinch-hitter Andrew Knapp and catcher Jorge Alfaro to give the Dodgers their 56th win of the season and Jansen his National League-leading 29th save.

Worthy of mention is another enormously huge play that occurred in the top half of the seventh inning.

With one out, Machado lined an opposite field triple into the right field corner, to bring Muncy to the plate. On a play that many consider to be absolutely foolish and others incredibly bold, Machado tagged up on Muncy’s flyball to very short center field. Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera fired a three-hopper to Alfaro at home, but not before Machado was able make a headfirst slide to beat the tag. Although the play ended well for the Dodgers and tied the game 5-5, had Herrera’s three-hopper been a two-hopper, Machado probably would have been out.

…but he wasn’t.

Although many would consider Machado tagging up on Muncy’s flyball the very short center field a foolish decision, old-schoolers absolutely loved it. Their logic? Force the opposing team to make the play. In this case, Herrera did not. (Video Capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)

So, there you have it, a boatload of important at-bats from which to choose your favorite.

For me, I’m partial to Verdugo’s huge six-pitch pinch-hit walk to lead off the ninth … the at-bat that wasn’t.

What was yours?